First Lady of Burundi Evacuated to Nairobi for COVID-19 Treatment as President Nkurunziza Keeps Mum on Infections

The first lady of Burundi was this morning secretly evacuated to Nairobi for treatment after contracting the Coronavirus as President Pierre Nkurunziza ensures that nobody in the country knows the true extent of infections.

The first lady Denise Bucumi Nkurunziza was flown to Nairobi, making her the second high profile Burundi official flew out of the country for treatment after getting infected with COVID-19.

Mrs Denise Nkurunziza was flown aboard Amref plane registration 5Y-FDP today around 10 AM according to online flight logs. Her departure from Bujumbura was in secret as most of the airport staff were barred from accessing her records while the airport manager personally processed her travel documents.

She reportedly arrived at the airport in a convoy of 7 high-end cars, including 2 military escorts. She was escorted by at least 3 state ministers and Deputy Chief of State Protocol Albert Nasasagare. The plane departed Burundi at 10:10 AM Central African time and landed at Nairobi’s Wilson Airport at exactly 10:14 AM.

Denise Nkurunziza is second after Health Minister Thaddee Ndikumana who was flown to Nairobi on 21 May aboard AMREF plane. He arrived in Nairobi some minutes before 7 PM.

24/05/2020 @dr_JeanBosco , Porte Parole du @mspls_bi dément les informations persistantes sur les réseaux sociaux selon lesquelles le Ministre du @mspls_bdi @dr_thaddee serait testé positif au #COVIDー19. Ceux qui font circuler de telles rumeurs ont d’autres visées dont on ignore pic.twitter.com/24gwgY1sQs

— Ministère de la Santé Publique Burundi(MSPLS) (@mspls_bdi) May 24, 2020

Burundi’s Health Ministery has refused to admit that the first lady and the minister are in Nairobi for COVID-19 treatment. Through Twitter, a health ministry official has insisted that the minister is in Nairobi for other treatment and not COVID-19.

Burundi has kept information on the infections away from the public as many are reported to be suffering while the country goes about as if everything is normal.

Email your news TIPS to Editor@kahawatungu.com or WhatsApp +254707482874. You can also find us on Telegram through www.t.me/kahawatungu